Experience

The Arc of Texas
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Deputy Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

  • Aug 2022 - Present


Dowd for Texas

• Director Of Communications

  • Oct 2021 - Dec 2021

  Crafted all campaign communications for Matthew Dowd's campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Texas, including social media, broadcast and print media, and produced video and audio content. Arranged dozens of earned broadcast media appearances by the candidate across the state. Provided research and briefings to reporters. Produced candidate video content on a daily basis. Responsible for various aspects of campaign management including volunteer organizing, political organizing, arranging travel, and managing staff. Show less



Texas House of Representatives

• United States
• Legislative Offices
• 700 & Above Employee

• Legislative Director

  • Feb 2021 - Oct 2021

  Managed the legislative portfolio of the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and a staff of 5 legislative aides. Helped to pass 20 individual pieces of legislation out of the legislature, a performance that earned Representative Canales a coveted spot on Texas Monthly's biennial list of the ten best legislators. Negotiated with key stakeholders on legislation related to transportation finance, infrastructure, criminal justice, and agriculture. Worked directly and built relationships with key government relations staff from local governments, state agencies, and business interests to ensure the safe passage of legislation. Worked with officials from the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Sunset Commission, and other legislative offices to prevent controversial policy proposals from being added to SB 703, the Texas Department of Agriculture Sunset bill. Worked to rebut proposed amendments to the bill that would have put it in jeopardy. The bill's safe passage resulted in the reauthorization of the Texas Department of Agriculture. Show less



Playfare.io

• Germany
• Primary and Secondary Education

• Data Analyst/Founder

  • Jan 2020 - Jan 2021

  Developed custom data analysis and automation applications for mid-size law firms as an independent contractor. Used SQL and Python applications to seamlessly integrate various various commonly used pieces of office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and QuickBooks. Created an automated reporting system and data visualization dashboard to allow firm management to track key performance indicators of every aspect of their practice. Leveraged web scraping software and data mining techniques to expand the firm’s contact universe in oilfield services by 500 percent. My 3-person team added more than 6,500 C-level contacts in almost 3,200 companies. Show less



Karla Cisneros for Houston City Council

• Campaign Manager

  • Aug 2019 - Dec 2019

  Responsible for all campaign operations in what became the most hotly contested city council race of 2019. Designed and led all fieldwork, community outreach, campaign communications, and operations for Karla Cisneros’ successful re-election to the Houston City Council. Effectively leveraged VAN to deliver data analytics products to the candidate. Recruited, hired, and managed a staff of six, knocking on nearly 14,000 doors and having 6,000 conversations with voters. The voter contact program resulted in face-to-face conversations with 27% of all voters in the district. Initiated and designed a package of three direct mail pieces to dramatically pivot the campaign’s messaging. Despite being outspent two-to-one by our opponent and outside interest groups, our campaign prevailed in the runoff election by 16 votes. Show less



Office of State Senator Carol Alvarado

• Policy Analyst

  • Jan 2019 - May 2019

  Developed and implemented policy in the areas of disaster relief and resilience, fiscal policy, taxation, and economic development in the 86th regular legislative session. Worked effectively with key officials from the City of Houston, Harris County, state agencies, and interest groups of all sizes. Sole developer of SB 1217, a piece of criminal justice legislation. Proposed the policy changes, worked to draft language, prepared all messaging and communications, arranged for committee testimony in support of the bill, and personally persuaded a member of the Texas House of Representatives to carry the bill through the second chamber. Played an integral role in securing the funding for HB 2784, a bill establishing the Texas Industrial Workforce Apprenticeship Grant Program. Responsible for liaising and negotiating with the Budget and Policy Division within the Office of the Governor to come to a compromise as well as securing a $13.5 million line item in the state budget for apprenticeship development. Played a key role in negotiating the provisions of HB 2872, a policy change to establish clear statutory guidelines for the taxation of the newly-emerged peer-to-peer car rental industry. In the course of the legislative process, I directed the conversation between business interests, officials from the Office of the Comptroller, and political players. In this role I prevented changes to the language of the bill that would have gutted its provisions. Show less



Carol Alvarado for Senate District 6

• Field Coordinator

  • Nov 2018 - Dec 2018

  An emergency special election for a vacant State Senate seat was called by the Governor to take place a month following the election of Senator Sylvia Garcia to the US House of Representatives. State Representative Carol Alvarado, along with three other challengers, immediately launched campaigns. Almost overnight we built a fully functional campaign - recruiting a team of canvassers, designing campaign materials and messaging, and securing endorsements from influential groups and political leaders. Built a bilingual direct contact voter program reaching every corner of Texas Senate District 6. -Recruited and trained both volunteers and paid canvassers, reaching thousands of potential voters in just days. -Mobilized voters to win an outright victory in a four-way race, successfully avoiding a runoff. Show less



Beto for Texas

• Political Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Field Organizer

  • Jul 2018 - Nov 2018

  -Organized and recruited volunteers in a grassroots effort that knocked on over 3 million doors and made over 20.8 million calls. -Opened a key South Texas office and managed a grassroots effort that knocked on more than 3 million doors and made over 20.8 million calls, leading to a 15% increase in voter turnout in Webb County and our candidate receiving greater than 70% of votes cast. -Election returns in Webb County saw a nearly 15% increase in voter turnout over the previous midterm election Show less